DVDpedia : Library : Title : W

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 94

Summary: The bitter, vengeful world of waiting tables gets the "Clerks" treatment in "Waiting...." A new employee (John Francis Daley, "Freaks and Geeks") gets trained at Shenanigan's, a banal theme restaurant where the bored employees play a game of flaunting their genitals. The staff includes a snarky waiter (Ryan Reynolds, "Van Wilder, The Amityville Horror") who lusts after the underage hostess; a waiter suffering from crippling pee-shyness (Robert Patrick Benedict, "Threshold"); an oracular dishwasher (Chi McBride, "Roll Bounce"); and a conflicted waiter named Dean (Justin Long, "Dodgeball"), who's just been offered a promotion to assistant manager--a job that offers more money, but threatens to trap him at Shenanigan's for the rest of his life. "Waiting..." is a loose shamble of a movie--the only thing resembling a story is Dean's life crisis--but that's part of its charm. It's a tricky thing to depict tedium without being tedious, but "Waiting..." pulls it off; some jokes smack of forced sitcom writing, but most of the humor feels genuine, as if it came from writer/director Rob McKittrick's personal experience. A future cult film. Also featuring Anna Faris ("Lost in Translation"), Luis Guzman ("The Limey"), and rabidly adored stand-up comic Dane Cook as..a cook. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Genre: Animation

Duration: 98

Summary: Pixar genius reigns in this funny romantic comedy, which stars a robot who says absolutely nothing for a full 25 minutes yet somehow completely transfixes and endears himself to the audience within the first few minutes of the film. As the last robot left on earth, Wall-E (voiced by Ben Burtt) is one small robot--with a big, big heart--who holds the future of earth and mankind squarely in the palm of his metal hand. He's outlasted all the "Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class" robots that were assigned some 700 years ago to clean up the environmental mess that man made of earth while man vacationed aboard the luxury spaceship Axiom. Wall-E has dutifully gone about his job compacting trash, the extreme solitude broken only by his pet cockroach, but he's developed some oddly human habits and ideas. When the Axiom sends its regularly scheduled robotic EVE probe (Elissa Knight) to earth, Wall-E is instantly smitten and proceeds to try to impress EVE with his collection of human memorabilia. EVE's directive compels her to bring Wall-E's newly collected plant sprout to the captain of the Axiom and Wall-E follows in hot pursuit. Suddenly, the human world is turned upside down and the Captain (Jeff Garlin) joins forces with Wall-E and a cast of other misfit robots to lead the now lethargic people back home to earth. Wall-E is a great family film with the most impressive aspect being the depth of emotion conveyed by a simple robot--a machine typically considered devoid of emotion, but made so absolutely touching by the magic of Pixar animation. Also well-worth admiring are the sweeping views from space, the creative yet disturbing vision of what strange luxuries a future space vacation might offer, and the innovative use of trash in a future cityscape. Underneath the slapstick comedy and touching love story is a poignant message about the folly of human greed and its potential effects on earth and the entire human race. Wall-E is preceded in theaters by the comical short Presto in which a magician's rabbit, unfed one too many times takes his revenge against the egotistical magician. (Ages 3 and older) --Tami Horiuchi>




Stills from Wall-E (Click for larger image)




 

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 110

Summary: As the impresario behind gravity-defying Russian blockbuster Night Watch, it's inevitable that Hollywood would come calling for Timur Bekmambetov. With a studio budget and an international cast, including two Oscar winners, Timur cooks up a Hong Kong-styled actioner bursting with fast cars and big guns. Our unlikely hero is mild-mannered Chicago accountant Wesley Gibson (Atonement's James McAvoy), whose father died when he was a tot. Wesley never learned to stand up for himself, and his girlfriend, boss, and best buddy all take advantage until the seductive Fox (Angelina Jolie) rescues him from a sharpshooter named Cross (The Pianist’s Thomas Kretschmann). After which, she whisks him away to a mansion on the edge of town to meet the other members of the Fraternity, where leader Sloan (Morgan Freeman) informs Wesley that Cross, a rogue agent, executed his father. Sloan believes Wesley has the goods to take him out, so he undergoes the Fraternity's brutal training regimen (Marc Warren and Common dish up some of the abuse). When he's ready, Sloan sends him out to fulfill his duty, but matters become complicated when Wesley finds out someone isn't telling the truth, leading our former milquetoast to exact an elaborate revenge. For those who've been following McAvoy's career to date, Wanted will surely come as a surprise. In adapting Mark Millar's comic series, Timur offers buckets of blood and a smidgen of depth, but fans of The Matrix and Mr. and Mrs. Smith will want to give this one a look. --Kathleen C. Fennessy




Stills from Wanted (Click for larger image)

















Click to learn more about the BD-Live Experience

Theatrical: 1983

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 113

Summary: Cute but silly, this 1983 cautionary fantasy stars Matthew Broderick as a teenage computer genius who hacks into the Pentagon's defense system and sets World War III into motion. All the fun is in the film's set-up, as Broderick befriends Ally Sheedy and starts the international crisis by pretending while online to be the Soviet Union. After that, it's not hard to predict what's going to happen: government agents swoop in, but the story ends up in the "hands" of machines talking to one another. Thus we're stuck with flashing lights, etc. John Badham ("Saturday Night Fever") directs in strict potboiler mode. Kids still like this movie, though. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, theatrical trailer, Dolby sound, director commentary, optional English, French and Spanish subtitles. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Dreamworks Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 116

Summary: Despite super effects, a huge budget, and the cinematic pedigree of alien-happy Steven Spielberg, this take on H.G. Wells's novel is basically a horror film packaged as a sci-fi thrill ride. Instead of a mad slasher, however, Spielberg (along with writers Josh Friedman & David Koepp) utilizes aliens hell-bent on quickly destroying humanity, and the terrifying results that prey upon adult fears, especially in the post-9/11 world. The realistic results could be a new genre, the grim popcorn thriller; often you feel like you're watching Schindler's List more than Spielberg's other thrill-machine movies (Jaws, Jurassic Park). The film centers on Ray Ferrier, a divorced father (Tom Cruise, oh so comfortable) who witnesses one giant craft destroy his New Jersey town and soon is on the road with his teen son (Justin Chatwin) and preteen daughter (Dakota Fanning) in tow, trying to keep ahead of the invasion. The film is, of course, impeccably designed and produced by Spielberg's usual crew of A-class talent. The aliens are genuinely scary, even when the film--like the novel--spends a good chunk of time in a basement. Readers of the book (or viewers of the deft 1953 adaptation) will note the variation of whom and how the aliens come to Earth, which poses some logistical problems. The film opens and closes with narration from the novel read by Morgan Freeman, but Spielberg could have adapted Orson Welles's words from the famous Halloween Eve 1938 radio broadcast: "We couldn't soap all your windows and steal all your garden gates by tomorrow night, so we did the best next thing: we annihilated the world." --Doug Thomas
"War of the Worlds" at Amazon.com
The Soundtrack
"The War of the Worlds" (1953)
"War of the Worlds - The Complete First Season" (TV series)
Classic Sci-Fi Movies and Their Remakes
Aliens Invade on DVD
The Prog-rock Opera (no kidding)

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: First Look Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 107

Summary: A wobbly mix of violence and sentiment, "War, Inc." takes up where "Grosse Pointe Blank" left off. A conscience-stricken killer in the previous film, producer/co-writer Cusack now plays an international assassin. In Joshua Seftel's political satire, corporations operate like governments. In the volatile nation of Turaqistan, Cusack's hot sauce-addicted Brand Hauser sets his sights on Omar Sharif--the oil baron, not the actor (it's never clear why this is meant to be funny). As a cover, Hauser passes as the producer for an economic trade show with fellow operative Marsha (Joan Cusack) acting as his assistant. Trained by Southern smoothie Walken (Ben Kingsley) in his CIA days (depicted though flashbacks), Hauser now takes orders from an oily CEO ("Grosse Pointe" co-star Dan Aykroyd). Offing Sharif, however, turns out to be harder than expected. Hauser's obstacles include left-wing journalist Natalie Hegalhuzen (Marisa Tomei) and foul-mouthed pop tart Yonica Babyyeah (Hilary Duff, erasing innocent images of "Lizzy McGuire"). Cusack and his crew come up with a few clever ideas, but too many crass gags blunt their thesis about military contractors run amok. Pitched somewhere between Stanley Kubrick’s "Dr. Strangelove" and Mike Judge’s "Idiocracy", "War, Inc." registers as more of a miss than a hit. On the plus side, Cusack and Tomei have a snappy rapport; it's the more over-the-top performers who look out of place, especially Ms. Cusack and Kingsley, though the latter's deft turn as a boozy hit man in the overlooked "You Kill Me" almost makes up for this misfire. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Theatrical: 2009

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 186

Summary: Everybody's favorite graphic novel comes to the screen (after years of rumors and false starts), less a roaring work of adaptation than a respectful and faithful take on a radical original. "Watchmen" is set in the mid-1980s, a time of increased nuclear tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, as Richard Nixon is enjoying his fifth term as president and the world's superheroes have been forcibly retired. (As you can probably tell, the mix of authentic history and alternate reality is heady.) Things begin with a bang: the mysterious high-rise murder of the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a masked hero with a checkered past, puts the rest of the retired superhero community on alert. The credits sequence, a series of tableaux that wittily catches us up on crime-fighting backstory, actually turns out to be the high point of the movie. Thereafter we meet the other caped and hooded avengers: the furious Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley), the inexplicably naked Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup, amidst much blue-skinned, genital-swinging digital work), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman), Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson), and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode). The corkscrewing storytelling, which worked well in the comic book, gives the movie the strange sense of never quite getting in gear, even as some of the episodes are arresting. Director Zack Snyder ("300") doesn't try to approximate the electric impact of the original (written by Alan Moore--who declined to be credited on the movie--and illustrated by Dave Gibbons) but retains careful fidelity to his source material. That doesn't feel right, even with the generally enjoyable roll-out of anecdotes. Even less forgivable is the blah acting, excepting Jeffrey Dean Morgan (lusty) and Patrick Wilson (mellow). "Watchmen" certainly fills the eyes, although less so the ears: the song choices are regrettable, especially during an embarrassing mid-air coupling between Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II as they unite their--ah--Roman numerals. In the end it feels as though a huge work of transcription has been successfully completed, which isn't the same as making a full-blooded movie experience. "--Robert Horton"
Also on the Blu-ray disc
The extended director's cut restores 24 minutes of connective tissue to the 162-minute film, most significantly the last scene of Hollis Mason, the first Nite Owl. Other elements help restore and fill in details that had been in the graphic novel. Fans of the film will be glad for the extra footage but there's nothing momentous that will change anyone's basic like or dislike of the film.
By far the most interesting Blu-ray feature (in addition to the great picture and DTS-HD Master Audio sound) is the Maximum Movie Mode, which incorporates several features into the viewing experience. Director Zack Snyder periodically appears on screen in front of two large monitors, one continuing to play the movie and the other displaying special-effects shots or scenes from the graphic novel. Snyder talks about how he shot the film and points out details in a variety of scenes: the opening with the Comedian, Dr. Manhattan's lab, the Nite Owl ship, Mars, Antarctica, and the ending (and why it was changed for the movie). This feature is much more interesting than an audio commentary or a standard picture-in-picture commentary so it'd be nice if it had been done for more scenes. Also appearing in Maximum Movie Mode is a timeline contrasting events in the Watchmen world with the "real world," occasional picture-in-picture comments by cast and crew, still galleries, and a series of 11 "focus points" that allow you to exit the film to watch these three-minute featurettes (sets, costumes, the Minutemen, etc.). Worthy of mention is how easy the Maximum Movie Mode material is to find: Snyder's footage and the focus points are very visible (even in fast-forward), and you can also access the focus points directly from the main menu.
The second disc has three documentaries. The first, "The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics," 29 min.), looks at the original graphic novel and its themes, and interviews artist Dave Gibbons, DC Comics executives Jenette Kahn and Paul Levitz, and cast and crew, illustrating its points with scenes from the movie, panels from the graphic novel, and parts of the motion comic. The next two are only on the Blu-ray disc but are less interesting and of varying relevance to the movie. "Real Superheroes, Real Vigilantes" (26 min.) examines real-life vigilantes including the Guardian Angels and New York subway gunman Bernard Goetz and compares them to Rorschach. "Mechanics: Technologies of a Future World" (17 min.) spotlights a physicist who served as a consultant on the movie. He talks about his experiences then discusses whether elements from the movie, such as Dr. Manhattan, the Owl Ship, and Rorschach's mask could really work. There's also My Chemical Romance's "Desolation Row" music video , and BD-Live offers even more making-of material. A third disc with a Digital Copy of the film (compatible with both iTunes and Windows Media; download code expires July 21, 2010) was included with early shipments of the Blu-ray disc but is no longer available. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 90

Summary: Adam Sandler vaulted into the $20-million-salary stratosphere with this, his second $100-million hit in 1998--a movie that further shows just how deeply embedded he is in the Jerry Lewis tradition of idiot comedy. He plays Bobby Boucher, a backwoods Cajun and a mentally challenged individual with a fixation on water: specifically, on serving the coolest, most refreshing H2O available to the college football team he has served since he was an adolescent. But when he's fired from his position, he takes up a similar job with a lowlier college team coached by neurotic Henry Winkler. One day at practice, Bobby loses his temper and delivers a bone-shaking tackle to the starting quarterback; before he can say, "blackened crawdads," he's the star of the team and leading it to a bowl game. But it's all against the wishes of his overprotective mother (Kathy Bates), who wants to keep her Bobby to herself--and that includes keeping him away from the floozy girlfriend (Fairuza Balk) who's sweet on him. There are two kinds of people in this world: People who find Sandler funny and people who view him as a neon-lit symbol of the decline of popular taste. You know who you are and, based on that, you can decide whether this is a movie for you. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 135

Summary: Let's be honest: this 1995 epic isn't nearly as bad as its negative publicity led us to expect. At the time it was the most expensive Hollywood production in history (it had a "Titanic"-sized $200 million budget), and the film arrived in theaters with so much controversy and negative gossip that it was an easy target for ridicule. The movie itself, a flawed but enjoyable post-apocalypse thriller, deserves better. "Waterworld" stars Kevin Costner as the Mariner, a lone maverick with gills and webbed feet who navigates the endless seas of Earth after the complete melting of the polar ice caps. The Mariner has been caged like a criminal when he's freed by Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and enlisted to help her and a young girl (Tina Majorino) escape from the Smokers, a group of renegade terrorists led by Dennis Hopper in yet another memorably villainous role. It is too bad the predictable script isn't more intelligent, but as a companion piece to "The Road Warrior", this seafaring stunt-fest is adequately impressive. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 138

Summary: Based on the book by Lt. Col. Harold Moore (ret.) and journalist Joseph Galloway, "We Were Soldiers" offers a dignified reminder that the Vietnam War yielded its own crop of American heroes. Departing from Hollywood's typically cynical treatment of the war, writer-director Randall Wallace focuses on the first engagement of American soldiers with the North Vietnamese enemy in November 1965. Moore (played with colorful nuance by Mel Gibson) and nearly 400 inexperienced troopers from the U.S. Air Cavalry were surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army soldiers, and the film re-creates this brutal firefight with graphic authenticity, while telling the parallel story of grieving army wives back home. While UPI reporter Galloway (Barry Pepper) risks his life to chronicle the battle, Wallace offers a balanced (though somewhat fictionalized) perspective while eliciting laudable performances from an excellent cast. Like the best World War II dramas of the 1940s, "We Were Soldiers" pays tribute to brave men while avoiding the pitfalls of propaganda. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 102

Summary: Nobody does comic existential angst like Nicolas Cage, who gets a good workout in "The Weather Man", an underrated slice of quiet desperation. Cage plays David Spritz, a Chicago TV meteorologist who knows only too well the constant uncertainty of predicting the weather. Despite a possible offer from a network morning show, David's life is a mess: he's estranged from his kids and irritated wife (Hope Davis), he's perpetually at odds with his remote father (Michael Caine), and lately people on the street have had the disconcerting habit of throwing food at him. Director Gore Verbinski ("Pirates of the Caribbean") has perhaps too heavy a touch for this kind of comic melancholy, but screenwriter Steven Conrad has an interesting, almost Mamet-like ear for "written" dialogue--Cage has a few voiceover monologues, including an uproarious sequence involving tartar sauce and a walk to the store, that are hugely funny. It's possible that we've seen Cage in this kind of character one too many times, but he's still good at it, and his doleful face and pasted-on smile fit the mood of the picture. Unlike the heroes of most Hollywood movies, David Spritz doesn't always--or often--do the right thing, but Cage makes you want to see the poor sap make it. "--Robert Horton"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Universal Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 90

Summary: If you're a fan of the frazzled comic rhythms Debra Messing plies on "Will & Grace", or if you're pre-sold on the concept of Dermot Mulroney as the world's most dashing heartthrob--an idea given ample evidence here--this escapist romance may provide just enough distraction. "The Wedding Date"'s "Pretty Woman"-in-reverse plot finds Kat Kat Ellis (Messing) hiring expensive male escort Nick Mercer (Mulroney) to fly to London and pose as her dashing new boyfriend at her sister's wedding so she can face the best man, an ex-fiancé who broke her heart. Non-fans of the stars or romantic comedies in general beware: there's no real chemistry or conflict, and you should alert the media if you can determine exactly when and why Kat and Nick fall in love. Mulroney has nothing to do but be sensitively suave--the film's entire running time is spent waiting for Kat to realize that Nick, hooker or no, is the best thing that ever happened to her (her father may be cinema's first dad to ever encourage his daughter to snare a gigolo while she still can). This is a relatively painless but forgettable first Date; you probably won't need a second assignation. "--Steve Wiecking"

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Universal Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 94

Summary: Yes, that is Bill Paxton as Ilan Mitchell-Smith's militaristic big brother. And that's Robert Downey Jr. as one of the in-crowd jerks who makes nerds Mitchell-Smith and Hall's lives miserable. Fortunately, this is a John Hughes comedy and our smart nerds create the perfect woman, Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), using a computer and voodoo. Lisa is a willing sex toy, has magical powers, and just wants to help the boys get even and meet nice babes. She even cleans up. The fantasy ebullience of Hughes is given full rein here and that's good and bad (mostly good). It's all aimed at a certain kind of hormone-addled, 16-year-old sensibility; but who doesn't have a little bit of that in them? "--Keith Simanton"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 115

Summary: "Welcome to Mooseport" is such a blandly likable comedy that your grandmother could watch it and wish for a little sex and violence to keep her awake. Perhaps the phenomenal popularity of TV's "Everybody Loves Raymond" made Ray Romano proceed too cautiously in selecting this small-town comedy as his film debut; without a live audience and an endless supply of punchy one-liners at his disposal, his domestic everyman persona seems a bit lost, ill-defined and uncertain how to respond when a former U.S. President (Gene Hackman) (1) moves to the quiet, jovial Maine burg of Mooseport, where Romano's the beloved plumber and hardware store proprietor; (2) proceeds to make moves on Ray's long-time girlfriend (Maura Tierney, from "ER"); and (3) runs against our ol' pal Ray in Mooseport's homespun mayoral election. Hackman's got some stellar support from Marcia Gay Harden and Rip Torn (and, to a lesser degree, Fred Savage), and Tierney's a pleasure as always, but director Donald Petrie ("Miss Congeniality") can't spin gold from straw; Tom Schulman's screenplay aims to please everyone, draining the energy from what might, in other hands, have been a deliciously devious premise. There's such a thing as being "niced" to death, and "Welcome to Mooseport" is proof. "--Jeff Shannon"""

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 94

Summary: Possession may be 9/10 of the law but payback is everything to the lawless. Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito escalate a battle of egosand a battalion of laughsto epic proportions in this fast-paced joke-fest that takes low-down behavior to hilarious new heights! Co-starring John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge), Glenne Headly (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), William Fichtner (Pearl Harbor), Bernie Mac (The Original Kings of Comedy), Carmen Ejogo (The Avengers), Larry Miller (The Nutty Professor II) and Nora Dunn (Three Kings), this laugh-out-loud comedy proves that "the worst that could happen is missing this film" (Jeffrey Lyons)! Caught red-handed trying to rob a mansion, Kevin Caffery (Lawrence) leaves empty-handed when the house's owner, ruthless billionaire Max Fairbanks (DeVito), spies Kevin's "lucky" ring and claims it as his own!Out of jail and out of his mind with rage, Kevin will do anything to get the ring back. But Max considers it his most cleverly won possession and will do anything to keep it! With battle lines drawn and no risk too great, these two set out to ruin each other's lives and both succeed admirably!

Theatrical: 2009

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 101

Summary: Through his handcrafted ode to the trials of childhood, Spike Jonze puts his own unique imprint on Maurice Sendak's enduring classic. In the prologue, 9-year-old Max (Max Records) stomps around the house, feeling neglected. When his mom (Catherine Keener) sends him to bed without supper, Max runs away (something he doesn't do in the book). He finds a boat and sails to a distant land where fuzzy monsters are raising a rumpus in the forest. Since his wolf suit allows him to fit right in, he joins the fray, catching the eye of Carol (James Gandolfini, excellent), who notes, approvingly, "I like the way you destroy stuff. There's a spark to your work that can't be taught." With that, they pronounce the diminutive creature king, hoping he can bring cohesion to their fractured family. After Max comes across Carol's scale-model town, he decides they should build a real one, but the project stalls as Alexander (Paul Dano) and Douglas (Chris Cooper) mope, Judith (Catherine O'Hara) browbeats Ira (Forest Whitaker), and Carol pines for K.W. (Lauren Ambrose), who prefers the company of owls Bob and Terry. Max realizes he has to make a choice: stay with the wild things or return home, where he has to keep his aggressive impulses in check. For readers of Sendak's slim tome, his decision won't come as a surprise, but Jonze ends the story on a lovely grace note. Until that time, the squabbling is a bit much--these monsters never stop talking--but Jonze, cowriter Dave Eggers, the Jim Henson Company, and singer/songwriter Karen O. have gone all-out to re-create the inner world of a child with as much empathy as was mustered for the inner adult world of Jonze's "Being John Malkovich". "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 109

Summary: Roasted by critics but surprisingly tenacious at the box office, "White Chicks" is the kind of comedy that thrives (well, maybe) on home video. Faint praise indeed, but it allows comedy fans an opportunity to cut the Wayans brothers (costars Marlon and Shawn, and director-cowriter Keenen Ivory) some slack and at least "try" to answer the obvious question, "what were they thinking?" For the sake of charity, let's ignore charges of reverse racism that plagued this would-be comedy about a pair of FBI agents (Marlon and Shawn) who go undercover as over-privileged white debutantes to thwart a kidnapping scheme, and let's allow that comedy--not social satire--is the Wayans' top priority. If you can get past the fart jokes, the freakishly unconvincing "white chick" makeup, seemingly endless gags about "white chicks" getting hit on by lusty black guys, and a plot that really doesn't matter at all, you just "might" find a laugh or two in the Wayans' attempt to understand women through a bit of friendly gender reversal. "Tootsie" it's not, but at least "White Chicks" offers more entertainment that Nicky and Paris Hilton, who partially inspired the story. Just ask yourself, which freak show do you prefer? "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2009

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 101

Summary: Baby, it's cold outside: that's the problem for U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale), the only law-enforcement officer assigned to Antarctica. On the verge of shipping out before the really bad weather hits, Carrie is confronted with a mysterious murder that sounds like a riddle: how'd a lone corpse find its way to the middle of an ice field, as though dropped from a great height? And what's this have to do with the prologue about a Soviet fighter jet crashing some decades earlier? "Whiteout", based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka, solves these questions in a brisk if mostly preposterous manner, and it moves swiftly enough so you don't have to spend too much time on the plausibility of it all. Among the other snowbound stragglers are a U.N. investigator (Gabriel Macht, of "The Spirit"), some cocky pilots (Alex O'Laughlin, Columbus Short), and a grizzled doctor (Tom Skerritt). If the presence of Skerritt conjures up memories of "Alien", with its ten-little-Indians structure and female warrior, hold on--"Whiteout" doesn't actually have a supernatural twist to it, and Beckinsale is no Sigourney Weaver. But director Dominic Sena (undistinguished by his cheesy film "Swordfish") puts the screws to the material in a relentless way, and the vast exteriors (shot in Canada) are impressive. And when it comes to one particular wow-you're-really-going-there instance of potential amputation for a main character, the film doesn't back down. In fact it sort of revels in the moment. "--Robert Horton"

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Genre: Animation

Duration: 104

Summary: This zany, eye-popping, knee-slapping landmark in combining animation with live-action ingeniously makes that uneasy combination itself (and the history of Hollywood) its subject. "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is based on classic L.A. private-eye movies (and, specifically, "Chinatown"), with detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) investigating a case involving adultery, blackmail, murder, and a fiendish plot to replace Los Angeles's once-famous Red Car public transportation system with the automobiles and freeways that would later make it the nation's smog capital. Of course, his sleuthing takes him back to the place he dreads: Toontown, the ghetto for cartoons that abuts Hollywood and that was the site of a tragic incident in Eddie's past. In addition to intermingling cartoon characters with live actors and locations, "Roger Rabbit" also brings together the greatest array of cartoon stars in the history of motion pictures, from a variety of studios (Disney, Warner Bros., MGM, Fleischer, Universal, and elsewhere): Betty Boop, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Droopy Dog, and more! And, of course, there's Maroon Cartoon's greatest star, Roger Rabbit (voice by Charles Fleischer), who suspects his ultracurvaceous wife, Jessica Rabbit (voice by Kathleen Turner: "I'm not bad; I'm just drawn that way"), of infidelity. Directed by Robert Zemeckis ("Back to the Future", "Forrest Gump", "Contact"), not since the early Looney Tunes' "You Oughtta Be in Pictures" has there been anything like "Roger Rabbit". "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 98

Summary: Well, there goes the neighborhood -- in a pine box. When hit man Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski moves into a comfy suburb, everyone's suddenly in danger of pushing up daisies. And it's not all Jimmy's doing either. Jonathan Lynn (My Cousin Vinny) directs and a talented ensemble cast packs heat in this manic comedy about life, love and plenty of ammo. Bruce Willis plays Jimmy, whose arrival sparks a chain reaction in which just about everybody wants to clip somebody else. Matthew Perry plays a hapless dentist who finds a way to get on the Tulip's good and bad sides. And Rosanna Arquette, Michael Clarke Duncan, Natasha Henstridge, Amanda Peet and Kevin Pollak add to the yards of wacky and whacked fun.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 98

Summary: Bruce Willis turns on the charm in "The Whole Ten Yards", the sequel to the surprisingly popular "The Whole Nine Yards". Willis returns as Jimmy "the Tulip," a former professional hitman, now living in Mexico with his bride Jill (Amanda Peet, "Igby Goes Down"), while his former neighbor Oz (Matthew Perry) lives happily with Jimmy's ex-wife Cynthia (Natasha Henstridge, "Species"). When mobster Lazlo Gogolak (Kevin Pollak, "The Usual Suspects") kidnaps Cynthia to get revenge on Jimmy, Oz has to seek out Jimmy for help--only to eventually discover that there's some incomprehensible secret plan at work. "The Whole Ten Yards" was created purely because the previous movie made money; the sequel makes not an iota of sense. Willis coasts by on raw charisma, everyone else flounders (Henstridge seems completely bored). Fans of the first movie, however, may enjoy revisiting these antic characters. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 104

Summary: "Wholly Moses!" is a clever, 1980 Biblical farce that has much in common with "Monty Python's Life of Brian". Dudley Moore, between star-making performances in "10" and "Arthur", plays Old Testament-era idol maker Herschel, whose life parallels that of the more famous Moses in many ways. Forced into the role of seer for Egypt's pharaoh, Herschel becomes convinced he has divine powers, until destiny proves otherwise and his subsequent misadventures as a slave, fake eunuch, and betrayed husband (Laraine Newman plays Herschel's unfaithful spouse) lead him to question the necessity of believing in any god at all. "Wholly Moses!" is directed by Gary Weis, perhaps still best known for his short works on the early "Saturday Night Live", and the film plays like a succession of sketchy ideas. It does have powerful and inspired moments, however, including Herschel's dialogue with the devil (John Ritter) and the sight of James Coco sweeping small frogs. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 100

Summary: A coming-of-age story starring a bunch of fiftysomething stars rather than teenage actors, "Wild Hogs" is a well-intentioned comedy starring John Travolta (Woody), Tim Allen (Doug), Martin Lawrence (Bobby), and William H. Macy (Dudley) as a group of Midwesterners facing their own versions of mid-life crises. They decide to escape their frazzled personal lives and rejuvenate themselves by taking a road trip on their slick hogs. But their journey is less "Easy Rider" than it is "Three Amigos" (plus one). As individual actors, each lead is a formidable star. But throw them all together into one crammed screenplay full of scatological humor and uncomfortable homosexual gags and it doesn't quite work. The actors spend so much time trying to outdo each other on screen that they aren't believable as friends, much less comrades. Walt Becker ("National Lampoon"'s Van Wilder) offers minimal direction on a film that could've used some reining in, especially during scenes between Macy and Marisa Tomei (as a diner owner who inexplicably falls for him). There are promises of some interesting vignettes when Ray Liotta shows up as Jack, the leader of a real motorcycle gang. When Jack threatens to break Dudley's legs, Dudley counters, "I'm a computer programmer! I don't need my legs." Without missing a beat, Jack says, "Fine, we'll break his hands." It's not that the lines are so funny, but they way Liotta delivers them that adds some life to this flailing comedy. Unfortunately, his scenes with the rest of the cast are all too few. "--Jae-Ha Kim"
Stills from "Wild Hogs" (click for larger image)

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 108

Summary: "Wild Things" is the kind of lurid, trashy thriller that you'll either dive into with unabashed pleasure or turn away from in prudish disgust; it's entirely your choice, but we suggest the former option since it's obviously much more fun. The plot's so convoluted it's hardly worth describing, except to say that it's set in humid Florida and involves a respected high school teacher (Matt Dillon--yes, Matt Dillon as a teacher!) who is faced with accusations of rape by a student (Denise Richards, from "Starship Troopers") who had been giving him the kind of attention most people would consider improper for such a "nice" young lady. Another student (Neve Campbell) raises a similar charge against the teacher, and that's when a police officer (Kevin Bacon) begins to investigate the allegations. Just when you think the movie's gone overboard with its shameless sex and absurdly twisted plot, in drops Bill Murray as an unscrupulous lawyer (of course) to spice things up with insurance scams and welcomed comic relief. As directed by John McNaughton (who has a way of making just the right moves with this kind of film noir melodrama), "Wild Things" is a bona fide guilty pleasure--the kind of movie you may be ashamed to enjoy, but what the heck, you'll enjoy it anyway. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 106

Summary: One of the box-office smashes of the summer of 1999, this film by director Barry Sonnenfeld ("Men in Black", "Get Shorty") was raked by critics but embraced by audiences. Based on the 1960s TV adventure show that starred Robert Conrad, this film reimagined Secret Service agent James West as Will Smith, adding Oscar-winner Kevin Kline as his sidekick, agent-inventor Artemus Gordon. President Ulysses S. Grant puts West and Gordon on the trail of malign genius (and former Confederate soldier) Dr. Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh) in a story about racism, partnership, and world domination. The special effects are lavish, even garish, but not all that special; they're not enough to elevate a mundane and familiar plot. Even Branagh, playing a man who only exists from the waist up--literally--can't find the juice in this lumbering affair. Still, the fast-talking team of Smith and Kline is a nimble one. Smith's affable charm and Kline's subversive wit win many points, though not nearly enough. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 1988

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Summary: This epic Lucasfilm fantasy serves up enough magical adventure to satisfy fans of the genre, though it treads familiar territory. With abundant parallels to "Star Wars", the story (by George Lucas) follows the exploits of the little farmer Willow (Warwick Davis), an aspiring sorcerer appointed to deliver an infant princess from the evil queen (Jean Marsh) to whom the child is a crucial threat. Val Kilmer plays the warrior who joins Willow's campaign with the evil queen's daughter (Joanne Whalley, who later married Kilmer). Impressive production values, stunning locations (in England, Wales, and New Zealand) and dazzling special effects energize the routine fantasy plot, which alternates between rousing action and cute sentiment while failing to engage the viewer's emotions. A parental warning is appropriate: director Ron Howard has a light touch aimed at younger viewers, but doesn't shy away from grisly swordplay and at least one monster (a wicked two-headed dragon) that could induce nightmares. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Dreamworks Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 95

Summary: To improve their client's tarnished image, the managers of movie heartthrob Tad Hamilton (TV star Josh Duhamel) trump up a contest in which an innnocent middle-American girl will win a date with the hunk. A West Virginia grocery clerk named Rosalee (Kate Bosworth, "Blue Crush") wins, much to the dismay of her friend Pete (Topher Grace, "Traffic"), who's secretly in love with her. A summary of the romantic triangle that follows won't capture the charm of "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!". Though formulaic in structure, the movie is constantly surprising and engaging in its details. All romantic comedies should have such a smart script, understated but spot-on acting (Grace, Bosworth, and Duhamel are delightful and given excellent comic support from Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Gary Cole), and clean, clear direction (from the director of "Legally Blonde", another formulaic but irrepressibly fun movie). "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 134

Summary: Having earned Hollywood's respect with blockbusters like "Face/Off" and "Mission: Impossible 2", Hong Kong action master John Woo lends his signature style to serious World War II action in "Windtalkers". Recognizing the long-forgotten contribution of Navajo "code talkers," whose use of an unbreakable Navajo-language radio code was instrumental in defeating the Japanese, the film serves as an admirable tribute to those Native American heroes. Unfortunately, it falls short of importance with its standard-issue story about a battle-scarred sergeant (Nicolas Cage) assigned to protect a code-talker (Adam Beach, from "Smoke Signals"), with unspoken orders to kill him if Japanese capture is imminent. This allows for an involving drama of hard-won friendship, but cardboard supporting characters suffer in the shadow of nonstop action that's as repetitious as it is technically impressive. "Windtalkers" is best appreciated as a more substantial vehicle for Woo's trademark ballet of bullets. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 100

Summary: Video games are interesting because they're interactive, and movies because they aren't. In a video game, you're the actor; moviegoing depends on your connecting with those people up on the screen;. There's really no easy crossover.
That's the problem with "Wing Commander", based on the bestselling computer game series created by Chris Roberts. Roberts helms the film, too, having previously directed "cinematic" sequences for the game, starring Mark Hamill from "Star Wars", no less. But a feature-length story is something else again. Maybe gamers will find something to enjoy here, but that sets the rest of us adrift.
There's war between the Terran Confederation and the evil Kilrathi, who are so evil they want to destroy the whole universe. (They probably aren't thinking that through very clearly. But then they're evil.) They've stolen the Pegasus Navicom A.I. device that enables them to "jump" behind enemy lines and destroy the Earth part of the universe. Freddie Prinze Jr. stars as Blair, a Pilgrim, which means he's hated by everybody for having this film's answer to the Force. His pal Matthew Lillard plays Maniac (his usual role). So you've got two guys with a "Top Gun" complex, bent on preventing the Kilrathi from destroying Earth. You'd expect lots of action from these combat-ready flyboys. But there's scant little of that, and lots of static dialogue scenes, including one cinematic quote of Howard Hawks's classic "Only Angels Have Wings" to explain how pilots handle the death of one of their own. Presumptuous. All it would have taken to make this film a success is a series of action set pieces and a thin plot to hang them from. What director Roberts needed was a Navicom device to help him "jump" behind Hollywood lines. That and a decent script. "--Jim Gay"

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 642

Summary: A popular and well-regarded comedy that ran for eight seasons in the '90s, "Wings" was created by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee, the team that worked together on "Cheers" and later created "Frasier". Tim Daly and Steven Weber play two brothers, Joe and Brian Hackett, respectively, who parted ways many years ago when a woman left Joe to marry Brian. Joe, the straitlaced do-everything-right brother, is running Sandpiper Air, a small airline on the island of Nantucket that runs commuter flights to the New England coast, when he reluctantly offers a job to Brian, the carefree brother who's also a pilot. Others who work at the airport are Helen (Crystal Bernard), the former girl-next-door who now works the lunch counter and aspires to be a professional cello player; Lowell (Thomas Haden Church), the not-all-there mechanic; Roy (David Schramm), the owner of the rival airline AeroMass; and Fay, who handles Sandpiper's front desk. Over the short (six episodes) first season, Joe and Brian develop romantic triangles over both Helen and Brian's ex-wife, Carol (Kim Johston Ulrich), and Brian tries to set up Joe with the island tramp (Megan Mullaly). In the second season, the romantic entanglements continue, Joe develops a health problem that keeps him from flying, and we meet the last major member of the cast, Italian cab driver Antonio Scarpacci (Tony Shalhoub). Guest stars include "Cheers"' George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, Abraham Benrubi ("ER") as Roy's son, and David Ogden Stiers as a conductor whom Helen tries to impress. While much of the regular cast faded from view after "Wings", Shalhoub and Church garnered critical acclaim for their work on "Monk" and "Sideways", respectively. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 493

Summary: A well-written sitcom that infuses romance with slapstick humor, "Wings" takes off in its third season with the inclusion of series regular Tony Shalhoub ("Monk"), who plays immigrant cab driver Antonio Scarpacci. Some of the funniest storylines in this 22-episode collection revolve around Antonio and his quest to stay in the United States. "Wings" is set at an airport in Nantucket, where brothers Joe (Timothy Daly, "Diner", "The Nine") and Brian Hackett (Steven Weber, "Jeffrey", "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") run a small airline that's struggling to stay in business. The previous season ended with Joe's on-again, off-again crush Helen (Crystal Bernard) moving to New York to pursue her dream of working as a classical musician. This third year resolves that plot and finds Helen returning home to Nantucket and eventually marrying one of her friends at the airport. As the dim-witted mechanic Lowell, Thomas Haden Church provides consistent laughs, but exhibits none of the nuanced acting skills that make him such a standout in later films such as "Sideways". And while Weber gets the funnier lines, it is Daly as the more serious older brother Joe who is the heart of the show. Look for guest appearances by Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth reprising their "Cheers" roles of Frasier and Lilith. Bernard shares some wonderful scenes with them and gets to show off her knack for physical comedy. Also, be on the lookout for Laura Innes, playing Lowell's flirtatious wife Bunny. Her loopy portrayal here is quite a departure from the stark, straight-laced part she plays on "ER". Ultimately, it's the cast's strong chemistry that truly makes this season of "Wings" soar. "--Jae-Ha Kim"

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 533

Summary: Despite some outdated clothes and hairdos, "Wings" has a timeless quality that makes repeat viewings of the sitcom worthwhile. A comedy with heart, the show--which originally aired during the 1993-1994 season--is filled with humor, great acting, and a cast that shares genuine chemistry. At its core, "Wings" is about the relationship between the Hackett brothers. Joe (Timothy Daly) is the more serious and responsible of the two. So it's surprising when he ends up dating an immature 19 year old. And his younger brother Brian (Steven Weber) has always been the carefree one, so when he forges into a monogamous relationship with sexy helicopter pilot Alex (Farrah Forke), it's a refreshing and unexpected change of pace. The brothers aren't the only ones working on their relationships. Lowell (Thomas Haden Church) marries and divorces the clueless Bunny (Laura Innes, "ER") on the same day. And Helen forges into a romance with a handsome millionaire who she believes just may be the one (Never mind that we all know she belongs with Joe). The problem that occurs with shows such as this is normally when the writers dangle the promise of a romance between the main characters, the audience isn't ready. "Wings" takes its time, so the Joe-Helen dalliance hasn't outgrown its welcome yet. The supporting cast is superb, particularly Tony Shalhoub, who shines as the often put-upon cab driver Antonio Scarpacci. Shalhoub can say more with just one look than most actors can with multiple lines. And busybody Roy (David Schramm) turns out to be quite the puppet master when he spreads rumors about all the employees who work at the Sandpiper Airplane Terminal, touching on their insecurities and flaws. The season finale ends with heartache for one of the main characters... and the promise of a new season with much more dramedy. "--Jae-Ha Kim"

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 493

Summary: A light-hearted comedy revolving around a pair of bickering brothers who run a small airline in Nantucket, "Wings" kicks off its fourth season with a crash. Literally. But unlike "Lost" where the passengers are never sure if they'll ever be rescued, it's inevitable that the Nantucket bunch is saved. This four-disc set includes all 22 episodes from this season and introduces Alex Lambert (Farrah Forke) as the sexy helicopter pilot being wooed by both Joe (Timothy Daly>) and Brian Hackett (Steven Weber). This is kind of a bummer for fans who are hankering for Joe and his on-again off-again crush Helen (Crystal Bernard) to finally commit to one another. Some of the best episodes revolve around the periphery players: Tony Shalhoub ("Monk") shines as lovable immigrant cab driver Antonio Scarpacci, who has the dubious honor of being included in a girls' night out excursion. He also displays hysterical paranoia when he is called as a witness in a robbery. And when Brian accidentally sinks Lowell's (Thomas Haden Church, "Sideways") houseboat, the Hacketts take the dim-witted mechanic in and are delighted to benefit from his housekeeping skills and his gourmet meals, which are better than their mom's home cooking. But they also learn that he can be as annoying as their mother as well. And Lowell's ex-wife Bunny (Laura Innes, "ER") is back to torture her former husband. Most people would never want to hang out with their colleagues 24/7, but with the cast of oddball (but loving) characters on "Wings", you can see why gravitate towards one another. "--Jae-Ha Kim"

Theatrical:

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 582

Summary: Created by the same production team responsible for the hugely popular series Cheers, Wings has a similarly homey, familiar feel. Replacing the Boston bar is a small airport on Nantucket Island. The denizens of the bar are replaced with pilots and airport personnel. What the viewers are left with is a delightful show revolving around Sandpiper Air Service, a tiny charter airline co owned by two handsome, charming brothers, a rival airline, Aeromass, and a lunch counter run the brothers' life-long friend, Helen.

Theatrical:

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 591

Summary: Set in Nantucket, "Wings" focuses on a group of people who work at the same small airport and like each other so much (or are so bored) that they are constantly meddling in each other's business. The sixth season of the sitcom includes preparations for not one, but two weddings. Not to be outdone by Joe (Tim Daly) and Helen's (Crystal Bernard) engagement (finally!), busybody Roy (David Schramm) decides that he, too, wants to get married and sends away for a Russian mail-order bride. Feeling underappreciated, Fay (Rebecca Schull) quits her job only to regret her decision. And lovable but doltish Lowell (Thomas Haden Church) decides that the best thing to do with his inheritance money is to operate a wax museum. With the breakup of Joe's younger brother Brian (Steven Weber) and helicopter pilot Alex (Farrah Forke), a new romantic interest is brought in: Helen's sister Casey (Amy Yasbeck). Cabdriver Antonio (Tony Shalhoub) likes her, too, but he also has developed feelings for a woman who is engaged to his cousin. This season's slew of guest stars includes George Plimpton, former "Mod Squad" lead Peggy Lipton, and Debbie Reynolds as Helen and Casey's mother. All 26 episodes from the 1994-1995 season are included in this four-disc set that holds up surprisingly well over time. The chemistry between the ensemble cast is strong and the actors are likable, even when they're doing unlikeable things (We're talking about you, Roy!). "--Jae-Ha Kim"

Theatrical: 1987

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 128

Summary: "There are angels over the streets of Berlin," quotes the movie poster, but these are like no angels you've ever seen. Bundled in dark overcoats, they watch over the city with ears open to the heartbeat of the human soul, listening to the internal musings and yearnings of earthbound humans like existential detectives. In these delicate, astounding scenes we float through the thoughts of dozens Berlin citizens, from the weary and worn to the hopeful and young, as the angels record the magic moments for some heavenly record. But when Damiel (the empathic and sensitive Bruno Ganz) falls in love with an angel of another sort, the lonely trapeze artist Marion (willowy, sad-eyed Solveig Dommartin), he gives up the contemplation and observation of life to experience it himself.
Wim Wenders's most purely romantic film is like poetry on celluloid, a celebration of the transient and fragile moments of being human: the warmth of a cup of coffee on a cold day, the embrace of a friend, the touch of a lover, the rapture of love. Opening with an angel's-eye view of Berlin in silvery black and white (delicately captured by the great cinematographer Henri Alekan, who photographed Jean Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" 40 years earlier), it transforms into a gauzy color world when Damiel "crosses over" by sheer will. Peter Falk plays himself as a fallen angel with a special sensitivity for celestial visitors ("I can't see you, but I know you're there," he proclaims), and Otto Sander, whose smiling eyes brighten a face etched by eons of waiting and watching, is Damiel's partner. Wenders made a sequel in 1993, "Faraway, So Close", and Hollywood remade the film as "City of Angels" with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical:

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 539

Summary: The Hackett brothers, laid-back Brian and straight-laced Joe, and Joe’s wife, Helen, attempt to run a one-plane airline on Nantucket surrounded by their various wacky friends and employees.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 95

Summary: To honor a childhood oath, three friends (Seth Green from "Austin Powers" and "Party Monster", Matthew Lillard from "SLC Punk" and "Scooby Doo", and newcomer Dax Shepard) head into the Oregon wilderness in search of lost treasure. After grappling with a bear, whitewater rapids, backwoods psychopaths, beautiful eco-terrorists, homophobia, and a very hairy Burt Reynolds, the boys face their fears and learn valuable life lessons about treasuring friendship and stuff. Dude, it's totally, like, "Deliverance" for the Gen-Y slacker set! Admittedly, it falls a bit short as a meditation on masculinity, but teen audiences will find plenty to enjoy. The interplay among Green, Lillard, and Shepard has a rambunctious enthusiasm that overcomes the predictability of the script. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 111

Summary: "Wonder Boys" is one of those movies in which more twists and turns disrupt the life of the hero in one weekend than would bother most of us our whole lives. Professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) is an aging one-novel wunderkind at a small Pittsburgh college who's laboring on his seven-years-in-the-making, 2000-plus page second opus with no end in sight. The morning of the college's literary lollapalooza, WordFest, Grady's wife leaves him; that evening, his mistress (Frances McDormand) announces she's pregnant (she's also the chancellor of the school, as well as the wife of Grady's boss). Grady's voracious editor (Robert Downey Jr.) is also in town, transvestite date in tow, determined to read the highly anticipated new book; there's also the nubile student (Katie Holmes), who seems more than willing to ease Grady's pain. And then there's James Leer (Tobey Maguire), the mordant and brilliant writing student who's the catalyst for Grady's lost weekend, which involves a soon-to-be-dead blind dog, a stolen car, and the jacket that Marilyn Monroe wore when she wed Joe DiMaggio.
Had enough flights of fancy? It's only the beginning, and in the hands of director Curtis Hanson ("L.A. Confidential") and screenwriter Steve Kloves ("The Fabulous Baker Boys"), "Wonder Boys" will have you begging for more. Adroitly adapting Michael Chabon's novel and distilling it to its droll, melancholy essence, Kloves and Hanson have fashioned a briskly unsentimental and darkly funny tale; these characters may be down on their luck, but they sure don't feel sorry for themselves. Douglas, by turns dryly sarcastic and sincerely heartfelt, single-handedly makes up for years of alpha-male posturing as the passive pothead Tripp, and whoever thought of pairing him with the resilient McDormand is brilliant--they convey the complexities and history of their relationship in a single glance or movement. And under Hanson's guidance, the rest of the cast is truly exceptional, with Maguire in a breakthrough performance and Downey at his manic best. The ending of "Wonder Boys" may feel a little too pat, but after everything these characters have been through, a happy ending seems a just reward. "--Mark Englehart"